| Transpersonal Delight |
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| Angus Douglas | |||
| Friday, 28 October 2005 | |||
Transpersonal: now that's a word people have been bandying around a bit over the past decade. From Ken Wilber to Stan Grof, from Ram Das to Byron Katie lots of people want a piece of it. What's more it's become contested terrain. For a start Ken Wilber pours scorn on certain transpersonal psychologists who he says mix up pre-personal with transpersonal; mindless indulgence with mindful bliss; infantile regression with meditative equanimity. Then there are the denialists who'd prefer to see the world in the flat surfaces of scientific reductionism. To them all so called transpersonal states are the delusions of the faddy and flaky. Here's a definition I culled from the internet. 'Transpersonal Psychology is a branch of psychology that is concerned with the study of those states and processes in which people experience a deeper or wider sense of who they are, or a sense of greater connectedness with others, nature, or the "spiritual" dimension.' If you're serious about getting into these states anything goes: drugs, sex, rock 'n roll and even heavy breathing. No wonder Transpersonal Psychology has yet to be formally recognised by the American Psychology Association. I mean since when was psychology meant to be so much fun. And it is fun. It's like a party. For a given length of time everyone has permission to be childish, silly, spontaneous and emotionally extreme. And if it's a really good party at some point the serious looking guy with the beard will start handing out free drugs. OK so I never went to that transpersonal party, but I have experienced Holographic breathwork, process psychology, family constellations, network chiropractic, dance therapy, visualization, kriya breathing, meditation and a few others that I can't recall or am too embarrassed to mention. So do you have to go on a course to have a transpersonal experience? No, but it's more fun. Besides, on a course you'll always feel comforted that compared to all these other oddballs you're not nearly as depraved as you thought. And on a course, if it's a good one, you'll experience that lightness in your heart and warmth in your tummy; you'll feel the borders of the ego dissolve as the subtle perfume of unconditional love permeates the room. Warning: there'll always be one idiot who'll spoil it all by doing something inappropriate like trying to come onto a female participant. Don't worry he's been sent to ground your experience in the muddy reality of life as it goes on out there. So what are you waiting for, check around for what's going down in your area in the way of transpersonal stuff and sign up. In all likelihood you'll meet some interesting people, have a bit of fun and unmask some of your inner demons.
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This is the powerful story of the author's struggle with Multiple Sclerosis and how a healer's unusual prescription of mindful altruism - to 'give away 29 gifts in 29 days' - ignited her energy, her happiness, and invited more abundance into her life.
